Australian Government issues warning to its citizens to consider if they really need to travel to Kenya

The Australian government has issued a travel advisory to its nationals following "terrorism incidents" in Kenya.

According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, the advisory was issued "due to high threat of terrorist attack and high level of crime" in the country.

"We continue to receive regular reports that terrorists are planning a range of attacks in Nairobi and Mombasa. In light of the current security environment, the level of advice for Nairobi and Mombasa has increased", the government said in an updated travel advisory published on its website yesterday (30 March).

"We now advise Australians to reconsider their need to travel to Nairobi and Mombasa due to high threat of terrorist attack and high level of crime such as carjackings and home invasions (Violent burglaries), " it said.

The Australian government said there is an ongoing very high threat of "kidnap to westerners", including residents, journalists and humanitarian workers.

Does this mean that other Governments will follow suit and be even more robust in their advice and go so far as to advise their citizns not to travel at all? How will this impact on Kenya's already frail tourism industry asks RPS. Lamu island has lost a lot of money since Somali pirates kidnapped several holiday makers. Tourists have never really returned in the numbers that they were.

With explosive devices being found, hand grenades being thrown and police hunting for terrorist suspects both in the capital and in Mombasa, Kenya looks increasingly less attractive as a holiday destination for foreigners. It will be interesting to see which Embassy follows suit first?

Contact [email protected] for travel advice if you plan to travel to Kenya.

Photo with thanks to: http://www.operationworld.org/keny